This paper studies the causal effect of technology and knowledge transfers on early industrial development. Between 1950 and 1957, the Soviet Union supported the "156 Projects" in China for building technologically advanced industrial facilities. We exploit idiosyncratic delays in project...

Efficient constitutional change depends on ability of bargaining parties to overcome such inherent problems of political change as commitment and credibility (Galiani, Torrens, and Yanguas, 2014; Congleton, 2011; Boettke and Coyne, 2009). This paper studies how constitutional bargaining leads to a...

Foreword by Francesco Schettino Part I:Capitalism and Socialism as Modes of Production 1. Introduction to Part I2. The hard scientific underpinnings of XXIth century political economy3. Modes of production and socioeconomic formations 4. Labor and value 5. Real competition, pending issues and...

This paper deals with the analysis of the nature of economic relations from the perspective of Mario Bunge's idea of causality. According to Bunge, causality cannot be regarded as the universal connection of phenomena. The application of Bunge's concept to economics leads to the development of...

This study answers the open question of whether workers respond to financial incentives in a command economy. To do this, I evaluate pension reforms in Soviet Russia in 1964 and 1969 that allowed pensioners to receive a greater share of their pensions if they worked, resulting in a progressive...

This study answers the open question of whether workers respond to financial incentives in a command economy. To do this, I evaluate pension reforms in Soviet Russia in 1964 and 1969 that allowed pensioners to receive a greater share of their pensions if they worked, resulting in a progressive...

This study answers the open question of whether workers respond to financial incentives in a command economy. To do this, I evaluate pension reforms in Soviet Russia in 1964 and 1969 that allowed pensioners to receive a greater share of their pensions if they worked, resulting in a progressive...

This chapter focuses on ethical issues raised by the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the do-main of health. In particular we discuss specific issues in biomedical research, healthcare provision and public health. We devote particular attention to ethical concerns about safety and evidence...

The birth of Torgsin -- A golden idea -- The Torgsin empire -- The red directors of Torgsin: the political commissar -- Why did Stalin need Torgsin? -- Gold -- The red directors of Torgsin: the spy -- Silver -- Diamonds and platinum -- Send dollars to Torgsin! -- What's for sale? -- The buyers...

This paper studies the causal effect of technology and knowledge transfers on early industrial development. Between 1950 and 1957, the Soviet Union supported the "156 Projects" in China for the construction of technologically advanced, large-scale, capital-intensive industrial facilities. We...

"Money did not become obsolete under Communism. The ruble remained a key feature of Soviet life. After World War II, money became an essential tool of the Soviet government. A strong ruble represented the nation's promise of future prosperity, but its failure to deliver improved purchasing power...

This study constructs a large new dataset to investigate whether state policy led to ethnic Ukrainians experiencing higher mortality during the 1932-33 Soviet Great Famine. All else equal, famine (excess) mortality rates were positively associated with ethnic Ukrainian population share across...

"The Russian Workers' Opposition in 1919-21 advocated trade union management of the Soviet economy and worker dominance of the Russian Communist Party's leading bodies. The Workers' Opposition in the Russian Communist Party: Documents, 1919-30 comprises articles, speeches, theses, memoranda,...

"Ukraine was liberated from German wartime occupation by 1944 but remained prisoner to its consequences for much longer. In this long aftermath of war, local Soviet authorities in Ukraine challenged central authorities in post-WWII Ukraine over land, food and power for the sake of rebuilding...

This article attempts to show how East Asian art was sold and bought in Russia in the first decade after the revolution 1917 by taking the example of the State Museum of Oriental Art (SMOA) in Moscow. The emergence of the SMOA itself was a consequence of political change. East Asian art objects...